A moneyline bet is the simplest wager you can make — you pick which team wins, with no spread involved.
Every moneyline has two prices. The favorite has a negative number like -180, which tells you how much to risk to win $100. The underdog has a positive number like +155, which tells you how much you win on a $100 bet. There's no margin, no spread, no covering by a certain amount. If your team wins the game, you win the bet. If they lose, you lose. The tradeoff is the price. Because the outcome is simpler, the payouts reflect how likely each side is to win. A heavy favorite might cost $400 to win $100. A big underdog might pay $350 on a $100 stake. The moneyline is where the market's honest read on win probability lives.
Example
The Dodgers host the Rockies. Los Angeles is -220 on the moneyline, Colorado is +180. You bet $50 on Colorado. The Rockies pull off the upset. You win $90 in profit — $140 back on your $50 stake.
What it means for your decision
Moneylines tell you what the market thinks the win probability actually is. Strip the vig out and those numbers translate directly into odds. Use them to sanity-check your own read — if you think a team wins 55% of the time and the moneyline implies 45%, that's where attention is worth paying. Your decision is always yours.
Frequently asked
What's the difference between a moneyline and a spread?
A moneyline is a straight win-or-lose bet with no points involved. A spread forces the favorite to win by a set margin, balancing the bet at roughly even odds.
Why are moneylines better for underdogs?
An underdog on the moneyline only has to win the game. Against the spread they win more often but pay less — which is better depends on how much you trust them to actually win outright.
Are moneylines used in all sports?
Yes, in any sport with a winner. They're especially popular in baseball, hockey, and soccer where scoring is low enough that spreads feel less precise.
What's a 'pick 'em' moneyline?
When both teams are priced at roughly -110, the book is telling you the matchup is a coin flip. No real favorite, no real underdog — just pay the juice and pick a side.
Related terms
In the glossary